For people to fully participate in the electoral process, they must know their rights and responsibilities, as well as their choices on the ballot.  Through partnerships with election officials, political parties, civil society groups and candidates around the world, IRI helps educate voters about the election process, issues on the ballot and candidate platforms.  IRI’s work also encourages people to participate in their democracy by voting.

In Sudan, IRI played an instrumental role in the preparations for the historic January 2011 referendum.  Due to the public’s unfamiliarity regarding the terms of the referendum, IRI developed a guide covering key milestones of the process that addressed voter registration requirements, advocacy and education information campaigns, voting, ballot sorting and counting processes and rights and responsibilities of observers.  The Institute distributed more than 25,000 copies and briefed more than 1,000 government officials and political party representatives.  IRI also trained more than 9,000 political party representatives from 60 political parties to observe the referendum process. 

IRI’s assistance helped ensure a peaceful transition of power as well as the establishment of the world’s newest country, the Republic of South Sudan.